U.S. U-17 WOMEN’S YOUTH NATIONAL TEAM DOWNS JAMAICA 4-0 AND ADVANCES TO CONCACAF WOMEN’S U-17 CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS

SAN CRISTÓBAL, Dominican Republic (May 4, 2022) – The U.S. U-17 Women’s Youth National Team advanced to the semifinals of the Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championship by beating Jamaica 4-0 as forward Amalia Villarreal, midfielders Charlotte Kohler and Riley Jackson and forward Melina Rebimbas scored in a dominant performance.

With the result, the USA will face the winner of the Canada-Costa Rica quarterfinal that will be played later today. The USA’s match will take place at Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez in Santo Domingo on Friday, May 6 (7 p.m. ET). The winner of the two semifinal matches will secure berths to the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India, while the winner of the Third-Place Match will also earn a World Cup spot.

The USA got off to a flying start as the 5-foot-2 Villarreal opened the scoring with a looping header in just the third minute, finishing a perfect service from defender Alyssa Gonzalez. In the 32^nd minute, midfielder Onyeka Gamero once again displayed her impressive dribbling skills as she evaded a defender and whipped in a cross from the right side that deflected off a defender and into the path of Kohler, who pounced on the loose ball to double the lead. Nine minutes later, Jackson – who captained the team – combined with Villarreal on a skillful give-and-go to break past the last line of defense and add her name to the scoresheet, making it 3-0 at the halftime break.

The USA came out strong in the second half, creating a plethora of chances. In the 56^th minute, the U-17s added their fourth goal as Gamero received the ball on the right wing, blazed past two defenders and lobbed a cross into the box for Rebimbas, who redirected it into the net with her thigh from five yards out, giving her a goal on her 17^th birthday.

The match was not as close as the score indicated as the USA outshot Jamaica, 38-2, and the Reggae Girlz rarely crossed midfield. Only some very near misses and a handful of great saves from Jamaica goalkeeper Liya Brooks (she made 11 total) kept the score down. The USA was also able to knock the ball around quite a bit, saving legs for the semifinal in two days, but also creating many chances against a very withdrawn and condensed Jamaican defense.

The USA has now scored 53 goals through five games in the tournament and has yet to concede. Fourteen different players have scored, tying a record for a U.S. team in a Concacaf World Cup qualifying tournament, and fifteen players have recorded assists.

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GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN:

USA – Amalia Villarreal (Alyssa Gonzalez), 3rd minute – Gonzalez whipped a curled service from deep in the attacking third and Villarreal finished with a header from right on top of the penalty spot, looping the ball into the right side of the net to open the scoring. USA 1, JAM 0

USA – Charlotte Kohler, 32nd minute – Onyeka Gamero evaded pressure with some brilliant individual play on the right wing and sent a cross into the box. It deflected off a defender and toward the heart of the box, where Kohler ran onto the deflection and buried the ball into the upper right corner from 13 yards out. USA 2, JAM 0

USA – Riley Jackson (Amalia Villarreal), 41st minute – Jackson received the ball near the center of the field and dribbled forward. She then played a pass into the box for Villarreal, who back heeled a return pass to the sprinting Jackson. She took a touch and buried a shot from the left corner of the six-yard box into the lower right corner. USA 3, JAM 0

USA – Melina Rebimbas (Onyeka Gamero), 56th minute – Gamero received the ball on the right wing and took on two defenders as she dribbled into the box. She lobbed a cross toward the center of the box and Rebimbas redirected the ball into the net with her thigh from five yards out. USA 4, JAM 0

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

• Forward Amalia Villarreal’s opening goal marked her eighth goal of the tournament to lead the team while her assist to set up Riley Jackson’s goal marked her fourth of the competition.

• Villarreal’s goal was also the USA’s 50th of the tournament. No U.S. youth team has ever scored 50 goals in a Concacaf World Cup qualifying tournament.

• Alyssa Gonzalez’s assist to set up the opening goal was her second of the tournament.

• Midfielder Charlotte Kohler’s goal marked her sixth of the tournament.

• Midfielder Riley Jackson’s goal was her second of the tournament.

• Forward Melina Rebimbas’ goal marked her fifth of the tournament.

• Forward Onyeka Gamero’s assist to set up Rebimbas’ goal was her sixth of the tournament.

• Goalkeeper Abigail Gundry recorded two saves to record her third clean sheet of the tournament.

-U.S. UNDER-17 WOMEN’S YOUTH NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-

Match: United States Under-17 Women’s Youth National Team vs. Jamaica

Date: May 4, 2022
Competition: Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship – Quarterfinal

Venue: Estadio Panamericano; San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic

Attendance: 50

Kickoff: 4 p.m. ET

Weather: 85 degrees, cloudy